Terror attack top story in all newspapers (NTB)

The terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in the USA are the top stories in all the country’s major newspapers this morning. Monday’s general election in Norway is hardly mentioned on the front pages. "We saw a demonstration of how vulnerable a modern state can be, no matter how powerful it is," writes Aftenposten in its editorial, adding that the consequences of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks are not easy to foresee. "Who would do something so insane? What are they thinking, what are they feeling? What did they intend to achieve? We do not know, not yet. At the same time we fear what will happen when we do find out. What levels of hate and lust for vengeance will be created? asks Vårt Land in its editorial, and adds that the tragedy has apocalyptic dimensions. Dagens Næringsliv underlines that our feeling of safety and security will never be the same after the terrorist actions which the USA was subject to on Tuesday. The newspaper says the attack will not serve the terrorists’ cause, even if it succeeds in drawing attention to it. "The world will first and foremost feel contempt. That contempt will not only affect those who were responsible, but will also lead to increased distrust of other movements which are fighting for their cause, regardless of background or reason. It will also increase support for those who wish to take a hard line against all such movements, and will increase support for increased military spending," writes Dagens Næringsliv.

Whereabouts of Norwegians in the USA unknown (NTB)

Late Tuesday night the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not received any information indicating that there were Norwegians among the victims of the terrorist attacks in the USA. "So far we have received no information to the effect that Norwegians have been involved," said Gry Haaheim, assistant spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. Late Tuesday night she had received confirmation that no Norwegians were onboard the two hijacked United Airlines airplanes. Foreign Ministry staff worked all Tuesday evening and into the night answering calls from family members and keeping in touch with the Norwegian diplomatic missions in Washington and New York. By Tuesday evening the Foreign Ministry had received hundreds of calls from family members wanting information regarding their kinsmen. Thousands of Norwegians are staying in Washington and New York. The Foreign Ministry has no information regarding the whereabouts of a large number of these people, but Ms Haaheim said that they are getting information in all the time about Norwegians who are in, or have been in, the vicinity of the World Trade Center. "Luckily many people have been ringing in and letting us know, or sending an e-mail that they are alright," said Ms Haaheim.

The day Norwegian politics stood still (Dagbladet)

"This is the worst terrorist attack the world has ever seen. It is an unbelievable tragedy." Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg had difficulty finding words – and that before the World Trade Center’s twin towers collapsed. Around him stood Labour Party officials and journalists who had been waiting for the results of the Labour executive committee’s soul-searching, following Monday’s election defeat. All that meant nothing now. Mr Stoltenberg asked for the party’s campaign posters to be taken down. The press conference on Labour’s internal workings and who will be governing the country in a few weeks, was cancelled. There did not seem any point in discussing that right now.

Petersen for Prime Minister demand Conservatives (Verdens Gang)

The massed ranks of the Conservative Party’s county leaders are demanding that Jan Petersen must become prime minister. "We have gone to the country saying we want the prime ministerial position. So that is how it is going to be," said Liv Stave, leader of the Conservative Party in Sogn and Fjordane county. VG has spoken to 17 of the party’s 19 county leaders, all of whom are members of the Conservatives’ executive committee. They are all demanding that the country’s next prime minister should be Jan Petersen.

Discussions to form a new government (Aftenposten)

The Conservatives became more convinced than ever yesterday that there will be a change of government. The reason? The basis for a new non-socialist coalition government could be determined by the end of the week. The Conservatives are now waiting for the Christian Democrats, whose executive committee meets tomorrow. Conservative Party chairman Jan Petersen yesterday invited the Christian Democrats, the Liberals and the Progress Party to talks on the issue of forming a new government. Bilateral talks with each of the three parties will be held. The Conservatives hope that the Liberals will decide to join a coalition, even if the party was only left with two seats in the Storting, and there were major doubts in the Liberal camp yesterday.

Bondevik’s support will not come cheap (Dagsavisen)

The Christian Democrats have faced the Conservatives with a series of ruthless political demands. It is not enough for the Christian Democrats to get the prime ministerial slot in a Conservative/Christian Democrat coalition. If Conservative Party chairman Jan Petersen becomes Foreign Minister, he will have to pursue an actively negative line on EU membership. Mr Bondevik will probably become prime minister in a Conservative/Christian Democrat coalition. The Conservatives are prepared to "sell" the top job, but the party will demand a high price.

Christian Democrats reluctant to work with Conservatives (Dagens Næringsliv)

The Christian Democratic Party’s county leaders are unwilling to join a coalition with the Conservatives, and only one of the county leaders does not think the Conservatives could form a government by themselves. Nor do the county leaders rule out a situation where Labour stays in power, but feel this is not very likely. Dagens Næringsliv has spoken to 18 of the Christian Democrats’ 19 county leaders. They are at a loss as to know how the party should handle the question of the next government after the centre alliance alternative fell apart.

Labour activists slam party (Dagsavisen)

Labour activists have slammed the party’s performance after its historic election defeat on Monday. "The campaign material was unforgivably poor. It was like asking people not to vote Labour," said Finn Erik Thoresen, vice president of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). Party veteran Thorbjørn Berntsen’s verdict is also unequivocal: "We can blame ourselves. We were just not good enough." Mr Berntsen feels that the party failed to communicate properly with the voters. "It has not been very easy to get a grasp of what the party stands for," he said. According to Eva Kristin Hansen, leader of the Labour Party’s youth wing, AUF, it was not just communication skills that were lacking. She feels Labour has not done enough for the weakest members of society. "We have not had good enough policies to ensure a fair distribution of society’s problems," she said.

Call for debate on Labour/LO cooperation (Klassekampen)

A number of union leaders believe the election result will force a debate on relations between the Labour Party and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). Morten Øye, who heads the public service union LO-stat, believes the political earthquake reflected in the election result shows that it would be healthy for the relationship between the two organizations to be put up for debate. Mr Øye thinks his conclusion will be that today’s cooperation should continue, that it is mutually beneficial for both the Labour Party and the LO. Per Østvold, leader of the Norwegian Union of Transport Workers, agrees that there should be a debate on this issue. He believes the LO will lose credibility if there is no change in the organization’s relationship with Labour.

New Storting has majority against EU membership (Nationen)

For the next four years there will be a majority in the Storting opposed to EU membership. "Labour and the Conservatives would be wise to park the entire EU issue on the sidelines," according to the organization, No to the EU. Before the election the organization carried out a survey of parliamentary candidates. The final count indicates that there will be a majority opposed to EU membership in the next parliamentary term. Gunnar Bolstad, of the European Movement, believes the composition of the new Storting will not have any significant impact on the membership issue. He describes the survey by No to the EU as meaningless. "The basis for a new EU debate will be events outside this country’s borders which create a new political reality," said Mr Bolstad.

Worth Noting

• 35 teachers will soon be taking their seats in the Storting, according to an overview prepared by the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) of the professional backgrounds of the 165 MPs who will sit in the Storting for the next four years. The teachers form the largest professional group in the new Storting. (Verdens Gang)
• The Government is planning to remove the tax barrier on AMS funds (a tax-deductible unit trust investment scheme). Investors can now sell their AMS shares before the four-year waiting period is up, without forfeiting the tax advantages they have already received. (Aftenposten)
• The European Commission’s report on the agreement between SAS and Maersk is a crushing indictment of the two companies’ price-fixing activities. The report was published in its entirety yesterday, and leaves in no doubt the fact that the two Scandinavian airlines knowingly broke the EU’s anti-trust regulations when they made their agreement to carve up important European air routes between them. (Aftenposten)
• As soon as SAS is allowed to take over Braathens the company will cut discounts and bonuses awarded to major Norwegian customers. "Competition with Braathens has pushed prices too low," said SAS’s Stein Berner, who is responsible for major customers and the business market. (Dagens Næringsliv)

Today’s comment from Verdens Gang, Aftenposten, Dagbladet, Vårt Land and Dagens Næringsliv

America’s nightmare came true yesterday. The USA was under attack. Not by so-called bandit states with fairly inaccurate missiles, but by well-organized terrorists. They used hijacked airplanes as dive-bombers against the foremost symbols of the USA’s super-power status, its economic and military might: the World Trade Center in New York – the heartland of capitalism – and the US Defence Department’s Pentagon building at the centre of government in Washington D.C. Not since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 60 years ago has the USA been the victim of such a assault. (Verdens Gang). Terrorists will always have the element of surprise as their most important weapon, and when they are also capable of carrying out attacks which even the most cynical horror film director could not have imagined, they can paralyse an entire world. This is exactly what they did yesterday, and no one who saw the pictures on television will ever be able to forget Tuesday, 11 September 2001. (Aftenposten). Our thoughts and deepest sympathy does to all those thousands of people who lost their lives in the largest and most comprehensive terrorist attack in our time. Those guilty of this atrocity must be found, punished and rendered harmless. Their actions are an attack on the whole world. (Dagbladet). The world’s most powerful nation has been attacked at its very heart. Yet it was powerless. The symbol of financial might collapsed without anyone being able to pay their way out. The tragedy has apocalyptic dimensions, it hits us on so many levels that thought stands still. Fear reigns and sets its mark on an entire world. (Vårt Land). In difficult times we have to stick together. Yesterday’s blasts show that the battle against terrorism must be stepped up. This was the message to the USA from world leaders. It is a battle which the USA cannot and must not fight alone. Telegrams of sympathy, offers of help and support show that the country will not have to either. After yesterday’s blasts the will to combat terrorism is stronger than ever. An entire world grieves with the USA. Our deepest sympathies go to the victims, their families and the American people. (Dagens Næringsliv)